Lakeville, MN Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

Lakeville City Code section 5-1-9(A) governs restraint of dogs. A dog is at large whenever it is not under restraint as the code defines that term, and no dog may be at large anywhere in the city. On a city street, trail, sidewalk or in a city park, a dog must be controlled by a leash not exceeding twenty five feet in length; a retractable leash counts against that twenty five foot limit even fully extended. The ordinance adds a proximity rule unique to Lakeville: once a pedestrian closes to within one hundred feet, the handler must immediately recall the dog and bring it under close control, defined elsewhere in the chapter as keeping the dog within six feet of the handler, until the pedestrian has retreated a full hundred feet again.

The city may designate off leash dog exercise and training areas inside certain city parks; inside those designated areas a dog need not be leashed but must remain under voice control and follow the posted rules for that area. Restraint under the broader chapter definition also includes confinement inside a vehicle, a secure fence or building, tethering to a stake on a leash no longer than twenty five feet, voice control on private property, an electronic training collar, or a dog that has passed the canine good citizen certification test.

The Lakeville Police Department serves as the city's animal control authority and enforces this chapter. A dog running loose may be impounded under section 5-1-11, with the owner responsible for boarding, impoundment and veterinary fees before reclaiming it.